The U.S. Department of Transportation is giving the Wayne County Airport Authority a $12 million federal grant to renovate a runway at the Willow Run Airport, according to Congressmen John Dingell and John Conyers, Jr. and Senators Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow.
This is on top of the $9 million in federal funding awarded to the airport in July. This additional $12 million will go towards the repaving of runway 05R/23L.
“Many Michigan businesses depend on Willow Run airport to meet their transportation needs, and this funding will help the airport to do its job more efficiently,” said Levin. “This grant is great news for the airport and for our local economy that relies on it.”
“This is welcome news for Southeast Michigan companies that depend on business and cargo plane service at Willow Run,” Stabenow said. “Bringing the runway up to current standards will ensure that the airport runs efficiently and continues to support economic growth.”
According to the airport’s website, Willow Run handles more than 200 million pounds of air cargo a year, making it one of the top “all cargo” airports in the nation. The airport contributes $85 million to the regional economy and supports 1,500 jobs in Michigan, according to a press release from Sen. Levin's office.
“This funding is a continued investment in not only Willow Run Airport but our entire area, to help protect and create jobs that our working families rely on,” Dingell said. “This facility is important to our local economy, and this smart funding will help them continue this important project as we all work to do more with less to get the job done on behalf of Southeast Michigan residents.”
“Willow Run is a critical regional transport hub, which is vital to continued economic growth in Southeast Michigan. At a time when federal infrastructure investment funding is in scarce supply, I thank Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx for prioritizing repair efforts here in Michigan,” said Conyers.
-Michelle Nelson, Michigan Radio Newsroom
